Amazrock Watercolor Pencils and Giveaway

https://brands.amazrock.com/giveaway/giveaway-contest-amazrock-watercolor-pencils-set-0-01-17-30-mar-2018/?share=178

I would love to win this.  But if I don't, I will probably buy them anyway!.

Journal Spots

Sending these

Out tomorrow

For Jenniebellies

 April swap, yes April, I am sorry

 to my partner, I was in the hospital
Post tips or journal spots are to put
In your special daily journal or scrap
Journal or junk journal or bullet journal.
They can be artistic, photos, plain
paper, places to write reminders,
jot down notes, encouraging words,
Scriptures, quotes.

Burning Bush, Bittersweet, boxwood fabric dying,

here is the dye

here are the cooked

BERRIES

here are the berries

COOKING

here is the fabric

DYING

Dying, drying, weaving, Spirit Cloth

I watched more of Jude's videos tonight, reviewing simple stitches to begin small petite pieces of hand stitching.  She taught a way to weave fabric strips together to make pillows.

So my idea was to use the berries in my yard to see which ones could be boiled with water, and what would the color become from water to fabric.

The burning bush produced  a peach color.  Then I took a scrap strip snd rubbed it in the cooked berries, mashing them into the fibers.  A beautiful pumpkin like orange came about.

Wanting to enjoy the weather, I went outside and rolled in the leaves, and pounded leaves into a piece of fabric.  Yellow leaves and brown leaves had no color.  Green leaves produced green, burgundy leaves and red leaves produced a bluish purple.

I will find other fabrics to make strips into and begin to weave.  I may even do some stitching on the strips first.

Dying Fabric, berries and Burning Bush, thoughts from Jude of Spirit Cloth

Have you ever wondered why there are so many berries that are just not edible?
Me too.
Today, as I was walking down my driveway to mailbox (post box), I noticed my burning bush having berries.

To make a long story short, Spirit Cloth, founder, artist, Jude, has free classes.  I have always wanted to take her classes.  She is a blessing.  So last night and today inspired me to see if I could dye some fabric like muslin.

  Not sure if

You can try bittersweet, or boxwood?  Even if there are just subtle colors.

You should be able to see some form of differences in shades.

look

at the color of mullein, it's soft fuzzy green leaves and the leaves

of the burning bush.

It is now cloudy out, and the temp has dropped a but from being in the seventies

in New England in November

Prim Magazine snd Making Primitives

I love Somerset magazines;especially Prims.
Now let me tell you, I go from decorating shabby chic, to folk, to scandinavian to French Parisienne/country to industrial chic
I sat one day making charts of each:

Shabby Chic:
White
Cream
Rusty
Pink
Mint green
Ruffles
Old bedspreads
Chippy paint
Metal
Wood
Garden fixtures brought indoors

Folk Art:
Black
Burgundy/red
Rusty
Bells, pins
Cabinets
Chicken coop wire
Dolls
Muslin
Wool
Pumpkins
Dough bowls
Candles
Tin, metal
Sconces,
Stencils


Scandinavian:
White
Red
Plants
Plain lined furniture
Odd little nic nacs
Light curtains
White floors
Grey
Linen, cotton, wool fabrics
Tin, metal
Cheese boxes

French Parisienne/country:
White, cream, yellow/-gold, blues
Statues, busts and heads ofcwomrn, children, angels
Worn out tapestry furniture
Leather furniture
Plants
Stenciled furniture
Baskets, hats
Fireplaces
Outdoor garden ideas

So what am I?

Some people say ecclectic.  Some say bohemian.  Oh yes, I love those too.

Cant afford to keep changing.

So, because it is fall, the folk art comes in.  I have collected pine cones and acorns.
I have been drying hydrangea and herbs, rosehips and artemesia.
I have a couple antique Martha Washington bedspreads.  Washed them good and am cutting  them up to make pumpkins for decorating, giving as gifts and selling in the vintage shop I have space in.  Dont worry, these are older spreads an don't look pretty as spreads anymore.  They are being put to better use.

I love looking at what other artists come up with... inspiring.  Then I draw my own patterns.

I recently had carpal tunnel surgery and trying to handsew.
The question now is to grunge or not to grunge...

Apple harvesting, canning apples

Wow, my apple trees dropped so many apples and that is good because we have never gotten time to prune, so the trees are huge; so tall that you could never climb.
I have made sauce, sold a bag, and now apple butter in the crock pot.
I have an inexpensive dehydrator, so I am going to try to dry them. 

I agree, they aren't beautiful, but they are saving me a lot of money and so convenient to go right into my yard and pick.